An annual apartment maintenance plan will let you detect and deal with any small issues before they become emergencies. You get to deal with these items on your time and schedule – not the middle of the night, not Christmas day, not when you want to be at your child’s soccer game. It will also let you inspect every single unit to make sure they are being kept in the condition that you expect and would like. In the long run, a maintenance plan will save you time and money.
My plan consists of completing the following tasks in all of our apartments:
- Check smoke detector batteries
I use a battery tester to check every single smoke detector battery. If the battery is at less than 50%, we replace it; otherwise, we leave it. - Maintain appliances
I double check the filter in the dryer, clean the trap in the dishwasher and washing machine, and give the washing machine a wipe out. I paid a lot for these appliances and want to maximize the lifespan of the units. - Check for leaks
I check underneath the kitchen sink, the vanity sink, the toilet, the dishwasher, the washing machine – basically anywhere there could be water I don’t want. Sometimes tenants don’t call about these leaks and I want to ensure we catch them before they become big issues. - Clean filters
I clean the filters in the air exchanger, heat pumps, and/or furnace. All of this equipment works much more efficiently when clean, which keeps my heating bills lower. - Inspect the crawl space or foundation
Some of my units have crawl spaces and I go in to check for water leaks, musty smells, or any other damage down there. - Grease the deadbolts
The salt air in Nova Scotia acts up on the deadbolts and come winter it can be hard to insert the key. A little de-icer, charcoal, or WD-40 works wonders and keeps the deadbolt working through the winter. - Scope out the apartment
This is the real reason I do this maintenance. I want to see what’s happening in every single unit I have. I can see if there’s an extra person living there, or if they’ve damaged a door and not told me. Maybe their apartment is an utter mess, or they have a pet they haven’t disclosed. I just want to have a sense of what’s happening in every unit.
An annual maintenance plan takes time to implement but in the long run will save us money.
If you haven’t done it yet, call your first tenant today to schedule their annual maintenance appointment. Let me know how it goes in the comments.